E-shopping with paper money

But what is surprising is that the tech-savvy, young group still prefers cash over digital money to shop. | Photo Credit: C.V.Subrahmanyam

A whopping 83% of students in the 12-18 age group in India’s top cities engage in online shopping, a survey conducted among students from class 8-12 reveals. This shouldn’t come as a surprise as according to the survey 75% of Gen Z, as those surveyed are referred to as in the study, owns a smartphone and 39% have shopping apps installed on their phones.

But what is surprising is that the tech-savvy, young group still prefers cash over digital money to shop. Parents continue to fund the shopping activities of their children. More than a third of the respondents said they use their pocket money for shopping, with Kolkata and Bhubaneswar leading the way.

Sixty-five percent of those surveyed said they get cash from their parents to pay for the online purchases. The figure was far lower, just more than a third, for those who use their parents’ debit/credit card.

Kochi appeared more e-money friendly than other cities while Visakhapatnam sided the other way. Among the metros, Mumbai respondents preferred paying using their parents’ card, while Delhi was largely about cash on delivery.